Dr. Don “Doc” Mossbarger inherited the family’s small farm in Bloomingburg after a train killed his father in 1965. During that time, Doc started his one-man veterinary business as a large animal practitioner. “When a family starts its own business, there are lots of challenges,” Doc’s son, John Mossbarger said. “When my father started his single-man veterinary practice, it was a struggle for the first few years. He sat by the phone waiting for it to ring. And my mother thought he was a workaholic, but he took care of his practice.”
Doc’s practice survived on traveling from farm to farm giving cholera vaccinations to hogs. Since the time they were around 6 years old, John and Jay Mossbarger can remember restraining hogs while their father administered the cholera vaccine. “On Saturdays, that’s what we did; we held hogs,” Jay said. During that time, their father taught them not only how to hold hogs, but how to run a business, with values like good service, honor and integrity. “He taught us that rich and poor come and go, but our integrity remains with us forever,” Jay said.
But in 1968, Doc’s integrity was put to the test. That was the year cholera was eradicated, and the vaccinations, which the Mossbarger family relied on for a steady income, were discontinued. “And with Dad, he just couldn’t start charging his customers more for the rest of the services he offered. He just couldn’t do it in good conscience,” John said.
The family knew it had to diversify in order to keep the farm. It was around that time that one of Doc’s customers suggested he start breeding horses. So, in order to keep his farm and ethics intact, Doc Mossbarger began breeding Standardbred horses, and the Mossbarger family business became Midland Acres.
Dr. Robert Schwartz joined the team in 1971. Because he grew up near Lebanon Raceway, Schwartz brought extensive knowledge of the harness racing industry to the farm. “If it weren’t for Bob, we wouldn’t have had one of our first premier stallions,” John Mossbarger said.
By the mid-1990s, the Midland Acres hard work had paid off. They had acquired more than 500 acres and were breeding around 700 horses a year, becoming one of Ohio’s largest horse farms.
Dr. Lisa Santa-Emma became a member of Midland Acres in 1996. "Dr. Lisa", as is a known as, is a track veterinarian at the thoroughbred racetrack, Beulah Park.
When you call or visit the office, you will be greeted by Tracy Foy & Ashley Cusic. Tracy joined the team in 1996 and is in the office on Monday, Wednesday & Friday's. Ashley joined us in the fall of 2011 and is in the office on Tuesday & Thursday's.